Week 2 GameDay Kickoff: QB issues for Michigan, Buckeyes-Horns and more - ESPN

In a world… where chaos reigns.

Where the law no longer applies (assuming there's a friendly local judge).

And where no one is safe from an all-powerful portal.

Suddenly, two groups of heroes emerge.

Coming this weekend ...

Smith. Manning. Bevo. Brutus.

It's… «Buckeyes-Horns II: The Search for Sark.»

Arch Manning and Texas face Jeremiah Smith and Ohio State in a top-five matchup.

Ohio State will be battle-tested in 2026

Myth-busting Arch

CFB Rank: Jeremiah Smith is No. 1

This star-studded sequel is well worth the wait.

A year ago, the original Texas-Ohio State matchup was a tad more low-budget. It featured Julian Sayin in his first career start on one side. On the other was Arch Manning, billed as the next great leading man but soon to be revealed as a star still mastering his craft. The result was an often stilted performance that felt a bit more «Weekend at Bernie's» — Jeremiah Smith and Collin Simmons trying to prop up a couple of corpse-like offenses — than «The Godfather.» Ohio State managed just 203 yards of offense but escaped with a 14-7 win.

The reviews were mixed.

Sayin, the critics declared, was an up-and-comer to watch, a bit player who proved worthy of bigger roles to come.

Manning, those same critics lambasted, had been all slick marketing and industry buzz, another Hollywood nepo baby who now seemed destined for little more than work off-Broadway (or maybe the lead on «CSI: Austin»).

But that game lacked context. Back then, we didn't know that Sayin would indeed blossom but that Ohio State would still fall prey to another, more dangerous enemy lurking within its own conference. Manning did struggle for a while. But by October, he had found his muse — or, at least, Ryan Wingo — and finally appeared